Fire-escape.



N0. 696,7". Patented Apr. l, I902.

T. J. BRINEH.

FIRE ESCAPE.

[Application file'd Dec. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Wane/coco Q7 anmmtoz UNITED nrnr rrrcn.

THOMAS J. BRINER, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

Fl RE -ESCAPE.

SPEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,711, dated April 1, 1902.

Application filedDecemherZS, 1901. Serial lIo. 87,527. (No model.)

ful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull,clear,

' and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes for buildings and is adapted to be placed on the outside thereof and operated automatically.

The invention is fully described in the following specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of my device; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view, and Fig. 3 a crosssectional View, of the same. Fig. A shows the roughened footpieces in contact with the rod.

The invention consists of a vertical hollow rod A, secured at its top to a hanger B from the window of a building and at its lower end in any suitable manner, so'as to be held rigid. The rod A is provided with a pulley 0 near its top on the inside and an opening A immediately in front of said pulley. A flexible cord D, having a weight E secured to one end, passes over this pulley and through the opening A in the rod. The weight E is adapted to ride up and down inside the rod A and is slightly heavier than the combined Weight of the hand and foot pieces, hereinafter described. The handpiece H is secured to the free end of the cord D and encircles the rod A. It is made of any suitable flexible or collapsible material and has a metal ring I-I, secured to either end thereof, also encircling rod A. A hole in theupper ring permits fastening the cord D thereto.

A foot rest comprising two semicircular pieces J J, pivoted together, loosely encircles the rod A some distance below the handpiece II and connected thereto by means of 5 cords h, secured to the lower ring II. These footpieces are roughened or toothed on their inner faces at 7' and are capable of being pressed against the outer surface of the red A when pressure is placed thereon.

The operation is as follows: The operator grasps the handpiece H and places his feet on the foot-rest. The handpiece being flexible permits him, by grasping it tightly, to regulate the speed of his descent, and the footrests will act as a brake if the hands cannot control the descent properly, as pressure thereon will force the roughened or toothed in ner surfaces j of the footpieces against the rod A and either stop the descent or reduce the speed, as desired. When the operator has reached the ground and released the hand and foot pieces, the weight E will return them to their original position at the top of the rod A.

Having thus fully described the invention and its operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fire-escape, a vertical hollow rod securely held at its top and bottom ends, having a pulley near its upper end and an opening therein in front of said pulley, a weight traveling inside said rod, a flexible handpiece encircling said rod adapted to ride up and down thereon, and attached to said weight by a flexible cord passing over said pulley, and a pivoted footpiece, depending from and connected to said handpiece and encircling said rod and having roughened inner surfaces capable of being forced against the outer surface of said rod by the weight of the operator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. BRINER.

lVitnesses:

ED. A. KELLY, GEO. M. MILLER. 

